For the first time in five decades, the Kansas City Chiefs' stadium has a new name. Well, sort of. A year after bringing a Lombardi Trophy back to Arrowhead Stadium, the Chiefs' Missouri stomping grounds since 1972, the team has announced an exclusive naming rights partner for the venue, officially rebranding their home as GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium starting in 2021.
Government Employees Health Association (GEHA), a Missouri-based nonprofit and one of the largest employers in the Kansas City metro area, has been a sponsoring partner of the Chiefs since 2019. Now, the organization's name will be part of the club's new home-field brand, though the Chiefs have insisted they're committed to "ensuring Arrowhead Stadium remains the identity" of the venue.
"We are extremely proud and excited to announce our naming rights agreement with GEHA," team president Mark Donovan said in a Thursday statement. "When we set out to find a partner for the field at Arrowhead, it was critical to identify a national leader that shares our core values, as well as a deep connection to the local community and respect for Chiefs Kingdom. ... This expanded partnership will continue to build lasting health and wellness programs that support the team, GEHA and our community."
Arrowhead Stadium has never featured an exclusive naming rights partner before. Part of the area's Truman Sports Complex, it broke ground in 1968 and officially opened for the 1972 NFL season.
